At the 79th Korean National Licensing Examination for Doctor of Korean Medicine, Student Min-ji Kang (Korean Medicine, ‘18) won the first prize for the highest overall score

In this year’s national licensing exam, our students from the College of Korean Medicine achieved the dual feat of winning the first prize and everyone receiving their license to practice Korean Medicine. On February 21, when the Commencement 2023 was held, I met with Student Minji Kang and heard about her winning the first prize at the national licensing exam and her thoughts on graduation.

Q: I’m curious about how you feel about passing the national exam for Korean medicine doctors.
A: I always studied hard for my major subjects, which seems to have helped with my licensing exam as I did not have enough time to prepare for the exam specifically. I also received a passing score on the mock exam before I began preparing for the real one. In fact, it is impossible to cram for the licensing exam because it covers everything that I learned over the past six years in eleven exam subjects. In the end, it seems like the total amount of dedication and work I have put in over the years really mattered.

Q: I heard that your grade was always within the top two spots in your class every semester throughout the course of your study. You also graduated at the top of the class and received the President's Award. Please share your thoughts on graduation.
A: Ever since I entered elementary school, my dream has been to become a doctor in Korean medicine. When I was young, my grandparents often went to a Korean medicine clinic nearby with me. I so wanted to help my grandparents by pretending to give acupuncture treatment and make traditional herbal medicine as I saw at the clinic. I am excited yet sad to leave even though I am now one step closer to my long-held dream. In particular, I regret missing out on school and class meets during the COVID-19. Students at the College of Korean Medicine have the opportunity to learn about the need for social responsibility and gain clinical experience through medical volunteer work, but due to the pandemic, those opportunities were greatly reduced.

Q: Now you and the rest of your class will all be encountering patients in the field. Are you worried?
A: I'm so worried. In the end, I think we will be able to overcome it if we face it. During class, professors talk a lot about clinical cases. While performing clinical practice (CPX) and clinical skills (OSCE), you can also receive questionnaire and diagnostic training and build clinical competency. However, they lack the skills to perform treatments such as acupuncture and Chuna (Chiropractic) right on site. I want to develop my skills as a clinical Korean medicine doctor by learning various techniques as quickly as possible through the training process.

Q: I heard that at the College of Korean Medicine, fourth-year students go for practical training. How was the clinical practicum?
A: I practiced at the Korean Medicine Hospital of Kyung Hee University Medical Center and Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong. The practicum was an opportunity to gain clinical experience and a chance to get a glimpse of how things are actually done in the field. Above all, it was great to be able to directly experience Korean medicine, which is used in various fields. I thought Korean medicine could not be systematically applied to the field of cosmetics and dermatology, but it is used in a variety of ways for skin disease treatment and skin care. I saw the potential for Korean medicine to develop further in the beauty field. I was also able to see with my own eyes that Korean medicine tools were being modernized.

Q: I heard that the atmosphere at the College of Korean Medicine naturally transitions into national exam preparation after the clinical practicum. Is that true?
A: That is right. I was greatly helped to study hard by that common sense of urgency and direction. If it were just me, I would have been easily distracted from the national exam, but after seeing and hearing all my classmates working really hard, I felt my competitiveness clicking in that I shouldn't fall behind. The academic atmosphere is really important, and our College of Korean Medicine is probably the best school in Korea. There are numerous great professors and seniors and juniors, and there are many students, so you can meet good classmates. The educational environment is also excellent. The College of Korean Medicine building was newly built when I entered school. From the moment I joined Kyung Hee, I developed a sense of pride and self-esteem.